Rating: 
Summary: Not a Civil War buff? Then pass
Review: Even a non-history buff could easily pick up that this was a Civil War re-written with magic tale. But when I finished it, I couldn't figure out why I'd read it. None of the generals were particularly compelling, it was clear from the word go what was going to happen, many passages were way-overwritten. Turtledove was highly recommended to me, but I'm awfully glad I picked this up at the library and didn't buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Better--but not good enough
Review: Harry Turtledove can write a good story. In the case of SENTRY PEAK, he has help from American History. Turtledove has transposed points of the compass, made the slaves blond serfs, and added magic to the western front of the U.S. Civil War.Unlike some of Turtledove's alternate history novels, here he provides a good balance of characters--enough to add personal depth to the novel without so many that it confuses the reader. The incompetent generals might have been a little too similar, but this may be historically valid so it isn't a fair criticism. You'll have to judge for yourself whether you want to read history rewritten as fantasy. There certainly are some amusing puns in the place names and the names of the generals. I think, however, that Turtledove should demand that his publishers make their editors earn their pay. There is way too much repetition, and we seem to go through the same meetings and conversations again and again. Wack off a hundred pages and you'd have a better book.
Rating:
Summary: Better--but not good enough
Review: Harry Turtledove can write a good story. In the case of SENTRY PEAK, he has help from American History. Turtledove has transposed points of the compass, made the slaves blond serfs, and added magic to the western front of the U.S. Civil War. Unlike some of Turtledove's alternate history novels, here he provides a good balance of characters--enough to add personal depth to the novel without so many that it confuses the reader. The incompetent generals might have been a little too similar, but this may be historically valid so it isn't a fair criticism. You'll have to judge for yourself whether you want to read history rewritten as fantasy. There certainly are some amusing puns in the place names and the names of the generals. I think, however, that Turtledove should demand that his publishers make their editors earn their pay. There is way too much repetition, and we seem to go through the same meetings and conversations again and again. Wack off a hundred pages and you'd have a better book.
Rating:
Summary: Not a Civil War buff? Then pass
Review: Harry Turtledove never lets you down with his writing. As a historian myself it was great fun checking out the identities of his characters. I am sure his motives were pure fun as this particular battle has been covered so many times that it is refreshing to look at it from another standpoint. I would like to have seen some strong women characters. It one respect it was hilarious, probably the longest blond joke ever written. Every stereotype ever used for blacks was placed upon blonds, as if they don't have enough in the real world.
Rating: 
Summary: The Longest Blond Joke
Review: Harry Turtledove never lets you down with his writing. As a historian myself it was great fun checking out the identities of his characters. I am sure his motives were pure fun as this particular battle has been covered so many times that it is refreshing to look at it from another standpoint. I would like to have seen some strong women characters. It one respect it was hilarious, probably the longest blond joke ever written. Every stereotype ever used for blacks was placed upon blonds, as if they don't have enough in the real world.
Rating: 
Summary: War Between the States--redux!
Review: I agree with previous reviewers both about the book being of interest to Civil War buffs and about the fun in figuring out the correspondence of the made-up names to those that existed in the real world (I particularly liked "Camphorville"--it reminded me of the Garison Kielor joke about a dring made of vodka, orange juice and milk of magnesia being called a 'Phillips screwdriver'. In addition, the book is written with Dr. Turtledove's usual accomplished style. What I do not understand is why the book was written at all--that is, what intellectual itch the author was trying to scratch. Once one gets past the made-up names, the book is an almost literal retelling of part of the Chicamauga/ Chattanooga campaign in 1863 from the Confederate evacuation of Chattanooga to the battle of Missionary Ridge, such as one might find in the works of Bruce Catton or Shelby Foote. The extraneous elements, such as dragon, the use of magic and weapons such as catapults and crossbows do not enhance the story in any way. Perhaps Dr. Turtledove was just having fun, but this is a book I would check out of the library, not buy for myself.
Rating:
Summary: A fun read for some, wearing for others
Review: I read this book, and enjoyed it. However, I could see where other people might not. One of the problems with this was the feeling that, having read some history of the Civil War, I already knew where the plot line was going. Additionally, although I relish wordplay (and such substitutions as "Ramblerton" for "Nashville" nearly had me rolling on the floor once I puzzled them out), for others it may seem too much like work. I have loved much of Turtledove's work. However, if this book is likely to be part of another series, I have some concerns for readers who are new to him. Series of his, such as the "Great War" series, are difficult to appreciate unless one has read ALL of the preceding books in the series. In any case, I liked this book, and had a lot of fun puzzling out the names and the places.
Rating: 
Summary: A unique effort
Review: If you're like me, a Civil War buff who enjoys abstruse puns, this book is great fun. Rosecrans is Guildenstern, Gettysburg is Essoville, Louisiana is Cloviston, etc. Now if you're not a Civil War buff, much of the detail of this story will be obscure. The story as a story, apart from being about the Civil War, is passably interesting, but not fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: The Rising Rock Campaign
Review: Sentry Peak is the first novel in the War Between the Provinces series, a fantastic tale of a civil war fought over the abolition of serfdom, embellished with abundant puns. King Avram wants to free the blonde serfs, but the agricultural northern provinces need plentiful labor to sow, weed, and pick the crops and don't want to pay them wages. On the other hand, the industrial southern provinces need trained workers to operate the machinery and has more ready cash to pay wages. Grand Duke Geoffrey leads a secession of the northern provinces from the kingdom and the southern provinces strike back to quell the rebellion. The war has dragged on for four years and King Avram has continually pushed his generals for a final resolution of the conflict. Eventually his generals gain the offensive and drive Duke Edward of Arlington back into Parthenia. The eastern front has gone somewhat better, with the southern army taking Ramberton and Luxor early in the war. Now they are advancing upon Rising Rock in Northwestern Franklin. In this novel, the southern army under General Guildenstern has forded the River and converged on Rising Rock from three directions at once. The southern forces outnumber the Army of the Franklin about eight to five, so General Thraxton the Braggart falls back to Fa Layette and waits for Earl Broadpath to bring reinforcements from the Army of Southern Parthenia. General Guildenstern selects a fine hotel in Rising Rock as his headquarters and then he waits also. When Lieutenant General Doubting George, his second in command, insists that Thraxton should be pursued immediately, Guildenstern gives him command of half his army with orders to perform such a pursuit. After a day or two, the rest of the army will follow. As the force marches north from Rising Rock, Ned the Forest's cavalry ambushes his vanguard. When this is reported to General Guildenstern, he splits his forces into two columns paralleling George's path and they pursue Ned of the Forest to the River of Death. As can be seen by this synopsis, the author follows the events in the Chattanooga campaign quite closely. The novel goes on through the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. Since the real place names are usually based on the Indian names, these geographical features are often translated into English equivalents, but the personal names are puns of every sort. For example, Bart is the pseudonym for Ulysses Simpson Grant and Hesmucet is the pseudonym for William Tecumseh Sherman. Even the personalities are fairly accurate, with some poetic license and a lot of puns. Characters are introduced to portray the war from the point of view of the enlisted men, noncoms, and officers at all levels; to what extent such characters are based on historic persons is known only to the author, but there is a great deal of personal information available, for more letters, diaries and other first hand accounts of this war have been archived and made available to academic researchers, and even the general public, than for any previous American war. It helps a lot to keep a single volume history of the war on hand while reading this book. However, my one criticism of the novel has nothing to do with the various changes, for they are trivial, but the front cover has a blonde haired unicorn rider sticking a snake-like creature with what looks like a skewer -- snake-ka-bob? -- when the story quite specifically says all blondes are former serfs. All the cavalry would be brown-headed, not blonde. If this series really parallels the Civil War, blondes would not be cavalrymen until after the war. Artists!!!! Don't they ever read the book? Like his novels based on How Few Remain, the author attacks racial stereotypes with a vengeance, pulling them out one by one and then flaying them with the facts. Nor does he spare regional prejudices and other forms of bigotry. Ned the Forest, for example, was one of the best commanders in the South, even compared to the famous Jeb Stuart, but he was not a gentleman and thus was given little respect. In many respects, this novel is a bitter satire of the Civil War era, taking on folly wherever it might be found. Such an anachronistic approach is not very objective, and certainly not recommended in a scholarly tome, but does point out quite clearly the various flaws of our ancestors. The only men who compare favorably to modern standards are Bedford Forrest and William Sherman, for both had not a trace of romanticism in their worldview. Recommended to Turtledove fans and anyone who thrives on word puzzles, has -- or wants to have -- some knowledge of the Civil War, and enjoys fantasy tales based on real history with a twist.
Rating:
Summary: The Rising Rock Campaign
Review: Sentry Peak is the first novel in the War Between the Provinces series, a fantastic tale of a civil war fought over the abolition of serfdom, embellished with abundant puns. King Avram wants to free the blonde serfs, but the agricultural northern provinces need plentiful labor to sow, weed, and pick the crops and don't want to pay them wages. On the other hand, the industrial southern provinces need trained workers to operate the machinery and has more ready cash to pay wages. Grand Duke Geoffrey leads a secession of the northern provinces from the kingdom and the southern provinces strike back to quell the rebellion. The war has dragged on for four years and King Avram has continually pushed his generals for a final resolution of the conflict. Eventually his generals gain the offensive and drive Duke Edward of Arlington back into Parthenia. The eastern front has gone somewhat better, with the southern army taking Ramberton and Luxor early in the war. Now they are advancing upon Rising Rock in Northwestern Franklin. In this novel, the southern army under General Guildenstern has forded the River and converged on Rising Rock from three directions at once. The southern forces outnumber the Army of the Franklin about eight to five, so General Thraxton the Braggart falls back to Fa Layette and waits for Earl Broadpath to bring reinforcements from the Army of Southern Parthenia. General Guildenstern selects a fine hotel in Rising Rock as his headquarters and then he waits also. When Lieutenant General Doubting George, his second in command, insiststhat Thraxton should be pursued immediately, Guildenstern gives him command of half his army with orders to perform such a pursuit. After a day or two, the rest of the army will follow. As the force marches north from Rising Rock, Ned the Forest's cavalry ambushes his vanguard. When this is reported to General Guildenstern, he splits his forces into two columns paralleling George's path and they pursue Ned of the Forest to the River of Death. As can be seen by this synopsis, the author follows the events in the Chattanooga campaign quite closely. The novel goes on through the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. Since the real place names are usually based on the Indian names, these geographical features are often translated into English equivalents, but the personal names are puns of every sort. For example, Bart is the pseudonym for Ulysses Simpson Grant and Hesmucet is the pseudonym for William Tecumseh Sherman. Even the personalities are fairly accurate, with some poetic license and a lot of puns. Characters are introduced to portray the war from the point of view of the enlisted men, noncoms, and officers at all levels; to what extent such characters are based on historic persons is known only to the author, but there is a great deal of personal information available, for more letters, diaries and other first hand accounts of this war have been archived and made available to academic researchers, and even the general public, than for any previous American war. It helps a lot to keep a single volume history of the war on hand while reading this book. However, my one criticism of the novel has nothing to do with the various changes, for they are trivial, but the front cover has a blonde haired unicorn rider sticking a snake-like creature with what looks like a skewer -- snake-ka-bob? -- when the story quite specifically says all blondes are former serfs. All the cavalry would be brown-headed, not blonde. If this series really parallels the Civil War, blondes would not be cavalrymen until after the war. Artists!!!! Don't they ever read the book? Like his novels based on How Few Remain, the author attacks racial stereotypes with a vengeance, pulling them out one by one and then flaying them with the facts. Nor does he spare regional prejudices and other forms of bigotry. Ned the Forest, for example, was one of the best commanders in the South, even compared to the famous Jeb Stuart, but he was not a gentleman and thus was given little respect. In many respects, this novel is a bitter satire of the Civil War era, taking on folly wherever it might be found. Such an anachronistic approach is not very objective, and certainly not recommended in a scholarly tome, but does point out quite clearly the various flaws of our ancestors. The only men who compare favorably to modern standards are Bedford Forrest and William Sherman, for both had not a trace of romanticism in their worldview. Recommended to Turtledove fans and anyone who thrives on word puzzles, has -- or wants to have -- some knowledge of the Civil War, and enjoys fantasy tales based on real history with a twist.
| 
